


Crystals in Moonlight

by mementomoe



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Chocolate Box, Chocolate Box - Round 2, Chocolate Box 2017, F/F, Soulmate-Identifying Timers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-18 19:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9398915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mementomoe/pseuds/mementomoe
Summary: Allura's timer has three hundred billion ticks on it when she's born. That's a long time, and doesn't inspire confidence about her ability to rule.Pidge doesn't know why she has alien numbers on her wrist, always counting down to some day in the future. She thinks maybe if she didn't have it, her father and brother wouldn't have been on the mission to Kerberos, though.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Koraki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koraki/gifts).



It was broken.

Alteans had always been born with a number on their wrist, glowing, the same color as their cheeks. It changed with every tick, the number dropping each time. The number, she had been told, was the time until she met the person most suited for her.

Allura had always looked at the mark on her wrist counting the ticks until that moment. The number was far in the future, three-hundred _billion_ ticks away. Alteans lived long, but at best, she’d be in her twilight years when she met her other half, if that number was right.

Her father always made sure she dressed in such a way the glowing pink Tattoo couldn’t be seen. It wouldn’t do for a ruler to not marry their soulmate. The sleeve over her wrist was talk of the servants, but it was better talk than the hundreds of billions of ticks it would take if her personal servants ever proved they weren’t trusted. That was thousands of Standard Years.

It was almost a relief when she found out she was put in stasis and woke up in the world ruled by Zarkon. However, she didn’t realize until too late that the counter had hit zero. One of the five in front of her was the one she fit best with, but the ticks on her wrist were as good as the ones that had been born at zero. She still had to make her own way.

* * *

 Katie blamed herself for the attention her father got from the government. She had been born with an odd, green marking on her left wrist. It glowed lightly, not enough to show up much, but it did provide a nice light in the dark. The shapes changed about once a second. Well four changes every five seconds was a good approximation. She didn’t want to go out to 50 or 500 seconds repeatedly. She was five when she figured out it was a countdown of some sort.

Of course, by then doctors had noticed the strange mark, and despite requests from her parents, their notes about an otherwise healthy girl with a glowing green mark on her wrist had attracted the attention of the government, no matter how hard she and her family tried to hide it.

On the one hand, it helped her father get the contacts he needed to prove himself a good scientist and go out to the stars. Her brother Matt joined him eventually, and Katie hoped she could too.

Until then, the odd mark was treated as something suspicious, especially by the Garrison her family lived near. Katie always wore a band over her wrist. Whenever people asked, she’d make up an excuse, often carpal tunnel. The other kids believed her.

On the other hand, if that mark had never been found, then her father would have been around more often. He was always on trips around the solar system. He helped set up the permanent base at  _ Acidalia Planitia _ on Mars when she was eight, and was the part of the first team on Enceladus. It felt like she saw her father on delayed feeds more often than she saw him only feet away. When her brother joined him, it only felt worse.

She was ten when she decoded the numbers. It wasn’t quite a second, but if her rounding was right,  _ something _ was going to happen when those numbers all turned to 0. She didn’t know what, but it would be big. Maybe it would be the day she’d go to space herself. Maybe she would die. She didn’t know what would happen.

The digits waned. The Ninth digit turned to zero when the most ambitious trip was formally announced. A trip to Kerberos. Her father offered his services without question, and her brother followed her father a few days later.

The two were shortlisted for the mission early on, and it wasn’t a surprise that they were chosen. Both she and her mother were very happy for them, and helped the two get ready however they could. Katie hid her jealousy. When she mentioned it the night before they’d leave, her father just laughed.

“You’ve figured out the numbers on your wrist, Katie. I’m sure it’s counting down to something great. Your destiny must be in the stars, far from here.”

She blamed herself when they disappeared along with their pilot four months later.

The eighth dropped to that zero while she was Pidge Gunderson, and had to deal with hiding who she was (Though Pidge was easy to respond to, to her surprise). It counted down as she looked to the skies, hoping the answer would lie above her. The chatter she picked up at night with her computer and jury-rigged dish would make her wonder. Perhaps she’d find this weapon, this Voltron, when the timer hit zero.

It was in a simulator with Lance and Hunk when the seventh digit changed for the last time. It was a disaster. Perhaps she only had so long until some Alien weapon targeted her for death, or kidnapped her. It was her fault for the Kerberos mission. If her father and brother were alive, perhaps they blamed her for what happened.

She was on a hoverbike with Takashi Shirogane, someone she blamed herself for the disappearance of, Lance, Hunk, and the driver, Keith, when only six digits still changed. It was getting close. Her countdown.

Hunk finding her diary caused her to sweat. More than once she mentioned the alien numbers on her arms. Either he didn’t see it, or didn’t think it was important, as it was only the Fraunhofer line he mentioned.

She did go to space on the day it would hit zero, but that number came about two and a half hours early. They were chased by a warship, and she hoped it wasn’t her death those numbers counted to.

While she couldn’t read much on the screen of that lion-shaped ship, the symbols were like the ones on her arm. Some were definitely the same numbers Was it something to do with the ship instead? The aliens that created it?

Lance didn’t have a mark like that. She knew that much. It was classified intel, and Lance would probably show it to the other recruits if he had one. Hunk didn’t either. Maybe Shiro or Lance did, though.

1000 ticks of the mark left, and she set foot on an alien planet with the other four travellers.

Pidge was certain that whatever came, it was here, the moment that her green mark counted down do. Whatever happened was in the odd building — castle. She followed the path the lights created.

It wouldn’t be her death, she decided. Whatever was at the end of the path they took. It would be what the numbers would lead to.

She tried to stay calm, and not go too far ahead of the others. She couldn’t look too excited, or Lance would probably tease her. Or Keith might think she was in with those people who shot at them.

She still ended up in front. She still put her hand on the button in the control room.

A capsule rose up, with a woman inside. As it opened, the clock on Pidge’s arm hit zero, and she finally knew just why it counted down to that moment.

* * *

 

Allura looked at the five aliens. Aliens weren’t rare among those that Alteans had as soulmates, though a royal hadn’t had an Alien consort for generations. Still, with non-Alteans, it was easier to find a soulmate. They also had the mark. Zero ticks left in a color that glows like their soul.

The tall, nervous one had his arms bare, so she could tell immediately it wasn’t him. But the other four, they were all careful. Especially the short one — Pidge. Pidge had some kind of band over his — her? Their? — forearms. And the one who was captured, Shiro, his arm was amputated by the Galra. If he had a counter, certainly it was gone, and he would have forgotten.

When they changed into the armor of the Paladins, she couldn’t catch a glowing number on any of their wrists. Lance didn’t have one either, and Pidge went to another room. Keith was also a careful changer, so if he had a number on his wrist, she didn’t know.

It meant that there was one of three, Keith, Shiro, and Pidge. They all were different from anyone she had known before. Perhaps… perhaps she would just have to try the way other species did this. Get to know each of them, and try and fall in love that way. Unless one of them ever spoke up about something on their wrist.

Shiro was a good leader, and was a good fit for the black lion. They responded to each other well. The other four also listened to him. There was a lot she could care about in him. Yet for the moment, there was nothing.

Keith was spirited, though he also was caught up in a rivalry Lance decided existed. He also was fairly quiet and awkward when it came to the moments where they weren’t training. He tried to learn, but he was… focused.

Pidge was brilliant. While the green paladin didn’t seem to be the best at fighting, Pidge did excel at learning the software of the ship, and seemed to understand at least some Altean letters without prompting. However, Pidge kept quiet for the most part, and sometimes stuttered when Allura tried to start a conversation.

The mice ended up giving her the answer she desired when they held a celebration for the Arusians.

 _Pidge has zeroes on her wrist! And she’s a woman!_ One of them had told her. Allura didn’t know which piece of news was more surprising. The mice didn’t seem to know what the zeroes meant, but Allura did. She wondered what color they were, since Pidge did not have a color on her cheeks, at least, not ones like her and Coran.

Maybe she could find out more about Pidge.

* * *

 

Pidge had a long journey ahead of her. Staying on Arus was nice. Allura was tough, but Pidge couldn’t deny that the Altean had her reasons. They were the same in some ways. Both women who lost family to the Galra. Both willing to fight the Galra. Both had a countdown on their right wrist.

Not that she had seen Allura’s, but she had sometimes seen the Princess look at her wrist for a moment. Look between the Paladins as she rubbed it. Pidge wondered if hers also was at zero. If it hit at the same time as her own. Part of her hoped it did. At the same time, it would make it harder to leave. That would have had to mean something. Some fairytales Pidge read spoke of two people whose souls were meant for each other. Soulmates.

She was never Princess in Pidge's head. Not for the reason she gave when chained to Keith. Allura was like Leia from _Star Wars_. A diplomat and politician. A general. A woman Pidge admired and easily felt herself crush on. Hard.

How could she leave Allura if that was the case? Not without admitting to the timer, and that would just make it harder.

There was so much in her claims of “I thought you would understand” when Allura asked why she would leave.

Allura almost cried. She looked so vulnerable. Pidge hadn’t seen Allura like that before. The woman always pushed to keep fighting. Make her father’s sacrifice not in vain.

Pidge understood that. She stared at Allura for a moment, unsure if she could stay, but in the end, she still turned away. Her father and brother were in immediate danger.

When the others tried to talk her out of leaving, to stay and fight, she almost let them. It was only Allura’s reluctant acceptance that made her feel she could leave. Allura was beautiful in light blue and soft pink, but she would look just as good in green, Pidge thought.

The castle shook, and Pidge turned around. For a moment, she saw Allura’s sleeve ride up. The same numbers on her wrist. A string of zeroes, just like her own.

She couldn’t leave. Not with the attack on the castle.

Not with the revelation of matching pink zeroes on the arm of the first person to truly take Pidge’s breath away.

Lance and Shiro falling only cemented her choice to stay. She had given the pod to Coran and Hunk, so she would have had to wait a few hours.

And then she ended up trapped in the castle. Galrans took it over, and the barrier was up.

_If I get through this, I’m going to tell Allura about the numbers on my arm. About the way I feel._

Pidge didn’t have time to focus on anything but getting to the main column. She followed Allura’s commands when she opened up the control.

“Five-zero-thr—”

The words cut out, and while she could guess the third, it was obvious there were more than three digits. “Allura,” she said. “Five-Zero-Three, what? What’s after three?”

She didn’t get a response. She didn’t have time to take a risk on the next few numbers, there was far too much… energy stored, Pidge supposed, it was too late, and she slammed her bayard into the control panel.

“our-One,” was the end.

“Too late,” Pidge said. “I only got the first three numbers in and then it cut off. I took a risk, Allura.”

“Wait, Pidge, you can read Altean?” Keith shouted into the comms. “Since when can you do that?”

“It’s a long story,” Pidge said. “I… I’ll share when everyone’s back, and safe. Is the barrier down?”

She had to get away from the engine room, and fast. It would be great to have help.

“No. You just knocked out the engines,” Allura said. “Not the barrier. You still bought us time to knock out the rest.”

Allura gave her instructions. It felt like she was in Apollo 13, and had to figure out how to do everything from instructions.

“I’m not sure I can do this, Allura,” she said into the comm as she walked through the generator room.

“I believe in you, Pidge. You’ve taught yourself some Altean, and I’m sure you can learn more."

That was all the encouragement Pidge needed.

* * *

 

“Alright,” Keith said as they carried Lance to the Infirmary. “You know Altean. You said it was a long story, Pidge.”

She felt her face heat up. Keith was more abrasive about it than he needed to be. “I can’t show you how right now. The Paladin Armor is tricky in around my arm. I was born with… an odd quirk. There were glowing symbols on my left wrist. It probably would just be considered a quirk or something if it was static. Instead, they changed about four times every five seconds. It’s… it was a timer. I deciphered the numbers when I was ten. They’re… they’re all zeroes now, so you can’t see it change.”

“What did they count down to?” Shiro asked. “If you don’t mind sharing.”

“It hit zero the day we came here. To Arus.” She wasn’t sure if she should share the exact moment, but it was enough information.

Allura didn’t call her out.

“My father, he knew about the numbers. He said they meant I was destined for something big. I think it was this, this team. All of you.” She looked at Allura with those words.

“So, you’re staying on Team Voltron?” Hunk asked. He had that big grin she had seen all the time.

“Yes, we can all save my family in the future. Together.”

The others filed out after Lance went into a healing pod. Pidge didn’t move, not while Allura was there.

She didn’t move from where she stood either.

“That’s not what the timer is for with Alteans,” she said when the others were gone. “You’re…”

“I’m your Soulmate,” Pidge said. “I know. I just don’t know how to say it. Not to the others. I didn’t know until I saw you, Allura.”

Allura hugged her. Pidge felt warm next to the Altean. “I’m sorry, I’ve been so strict. I didn’t realize my timer had reached zero until much later, and…”

“And we have an Empire to fight. I don’t blame you. And I kind of like you when you’re… ready to fight.”

“We did a good job today, taking care of the Galra.”

Pidge nodded. “Yeah, we did. Also, Pidge is a nickname. I was born Katie.”

Allura just smiled. “Both are good names. I’m glad I have a soulmate like you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm obsessed with powers of 10. I also decided, after watching that scene, that a tick was about 1.25 seconds. It makes a good round number to use. So, just for fun, to show how big a difference powers of ten are, here's the various counts listed in the story.
> 
> 100000000 ticks - About 4 years  
> 10000000 ticks - 145 days  
> 1000000 ticks - About 14 days 12 hours  
> 100000 ticks - 1 day 10 hours  
> 10000 ticks - 3 hours 28 minutes  
> 1000 ticks - 20 minutes 50 seconds  
> 100 ticks - 2 minutes 5 seconds


End file.
